Yahya Sinwar will take the place of former political chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed last week in Iran. Sinwar is said to be the mastermind behind the planning and execution of the October 7 attacks on Israel, and commentators say the move reinforces its radical path. Sinwar is the most senior Hamas leader still alive after Haniyeh’s death, which has sparked concerns of a wider conflict in the region after Iran accused Israel of carrying out the assassination and vowed to retaliate. Israel hasn’t claimed responsibility, but last week it did put its hand up to killing the leader of Hamas’ military wing Mohammed Deif in an airstrike in Gaza last month. While Haniyeh lived in exile in Qatar, it’s thought that Sinwar has stayed in Gaza, where he’s led the militant group since 2017.